Behavioral Activation and Mindfulness Interventions in Reducing Loneliness and Improving Well-Being in Older Adults

Can 4-week, lay counselor, telephone-delivered interventions reduce loneliness in older adults for 12 months, and is this effect mediated by social isolation?In this dual randomized clinical trial of 1151 older adults who were living in poverty, alone, digitally excluded, and experiencing loneliness, telephone-delivered behavioral activation and mindfulness significantly reduced loneliness at 12 months compared with a befriending control. Social isolation at 6 months partially mediated the effects of both interventions on loneliness at 12 months in Hong Kong.These results suggest that telephone-delivered behavioral activation and mindfulness interventions, provided by trained lay counselors, are scalable and effective for reducing loneliness and improving well-being in older adults, with sustained benefits throughout 12 months potentially enhanced by addressing social isolation.

Corresponding Authors: Da Jiang, BSc, MPhil, PhD, Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Rd, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR, China (djiang@eduhk.hk); Jojo Yan Yan Kwok, BNurs, MPH, PhD, RN, School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, 3 Sassoon Rd, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China (jojoyyk@hku.hk).

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